Jesus is Immanuel (6)

Jesus as the Immanuel was the revelation of God with us who now has all authority in heaven and on earth.

The appeal of the gospel to all people was stated by Paul in Philippians 2: “Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow” (Ph 2:9,10).

The word “name” refers to authority. It is in this time of history that all authority has been given unto Jesus who reigns over all things (Mt 28:18; Ph 2:9-11). The Father raised up Jesus to be “far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named” (Ep 1:21). Therefore, “there is salvation in no other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (At 4:12). And for this reason, everyone in this dispensation of time who would be saved, must obey the gospel in the name of Jesus (At 2:38).

All baptized believers now live under the influence of the gospel because of their obedience to the word of Christ (Jn 12:48). Paul therefore exhorted, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Cl 3:17). Paul also reminded the Philippians, “Only let your behavior be worthy of the gospel of Christ [the Messiah]” (Ph 1:27). In living the gospel, Christians must strive “together for the faith of the gospel” (Ph 1:27). In doing this, they are living according to the name (authority) of Jesus.